Roberto Regazzi

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Roberto Regazzi pictured by Marco Lenzi in his Bolognese atelier in the '90s
Roberto Regazzi pictured by Marco Lenzi in his Bolognese atelier in the '90s

Roberto Regazzi (born 20 August 1956 in Bologna, Italy)

Notable contemporary violin maker and scholar who received his initiation to the craft from Otello Bignami, Bologna, in the late 70s of the past century.

Still very active in his birth city.

Contents

[edit] Biography

The debut was at an early age; when he was just 14 years old started to be involved with passion in the construction of musical instruments, at that time mostly classical guitars, under the guidance of Alan Wilcox and Renato Scrollavezza in the mid '70s.

Later, the possibility to become a home pupil of Otello Bignami was crucial for his decision to stop the studies at the Bologna University (Physics) to become a professional violin maker. So even during his apprenticeship the firm could be started at the end of 1979.

Now established, and well known worldwide for the quality of his instruments, he has been president of a number of specialized organizations, including the European Association of Violin and Bow Makers for a couple of times.

His violins are an excellent example of the true Italianate sound and quite in demand also in America, Japan, Germany and many other Countries.

Just before the advent of the new millennium his production started to be steadily inspired by Guarneri del Gesù, with the achievement of a rich, full sonority. His work is also inspired by Ansaldo Poggi and Otello Bignami (Augusto Pollastri's Bolognese School).

In 2006 the Chamber of Commerce of Bologna has conferred to him a special honour for the prestige given to his birth city with his long and successful activity.[1]

Famous performers and musicians put their names on his waiting list or bought and play his instruments, including Boris Belkin, Franco Mezzena, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Ruggiero Ricci, Salvatore Greco, Giovanni Adamo, Uto Ughi, Franco Gulli, Riccardo Brengola, the Quartetto di Venezia, Silviu Dima and many others.

The Regazzi Library is one of the largest collections of books and documentation on the specific subject of musical instruments known worldwide.

He has been in the jury of a number of contests for luthiers, including the 10th International Competition of the Violin Society of America at Carlisle, Pennsylvania (1992), the Freiburg Baden-Wurttemberg Internationaler Geigenbauwettbewerb Jacobus Stainer (1996), the 5th Baveno Violin Making Competition and the prestigious 10th Henryk Wieniawski Violin-Making Competition, the oldest event of this kind in the world.[2]

Made also several classical concert guitars up to the end of the 1980's, mostly made out of top selected quality rosewoods.

Iron branded instruments.

He wrote books, lectured extensively around the world and organized cultural events relating to his art and profession.

[edit] Publications

  • In occasione del 250º anniversario della morte di Antonio Stradivari per onorare la figura di Giuseppe Fiorini, Bazzano, 1987
  • In remembrance of Ansaldo Poggi, Bologna, Florenus 1994
  • The Complete Luthier's Library, Bologna, Florenus 1990 ASIN 8885250017
  • The Manuscript on Violin Making by G.A. Marchi - Bologna 1786, Bologna, Arnaldo Forni 1986
image:Scroll_and_ear.jpg
This article is part
of the Fiddle & Violin series.
Basic physics of the violin
Fiddlers
History of the violin
Luthiers
Musical styles
Making and maintenance
Playing the violin
Violin construction
Violin family of instruments
Violinists

[edit] Publications - Contributions

  • A Life of Artistry - Sketches of Otello Bignami violin maker in Bologna 1914-1989, with Roberto Verti, Adriano Cavicchi and Giovanna Benzi, Bologna, Florenus 1991
  • Otello Bignami Liutaio in Bologna - Violinmaker in Bologna, with Wilma e William Bignami, Mariarosa Pollastri, Bruno Stefanini, Loretta Ghelfi and Paola Malaguti, Cremona and Bologna 1998 (Turris), 2005, ISBN 88-7929-160-2
  • Classic Violin-making in Piedmonte, Bologna, Florenus 1991
  • Lutherie in Bologna: Roots & Success, with Sandro Pasqual, Bologna, Florenus 1998
  • The Magic of Wood, interviewed by Linda Johnston, with a.o.Rudolf Koelman, Salvatore Greco, Joaquín Palomares, etc.. Genova, Dynamic 2005, edited also with a Japanese translation. ASIN B000BUEGJA
  • The Sound of Bologna, Bolognese Violin Making between the 1800s and 1900s - Events dedicated to Raffaele Fiorini and the Violin Making Tradition of the City. Bologna, Florenus 1991 Bologna, December 7-22, 2002, Art and History Collections Cassa di Risparmio Foundation in Bologna San Giorgio in Poggiale, with William Bignami, Gabriele Carletti, Alberto Giordano, Giancarlo Guicciardi, Sandro Pasqual, Mariarosa Pollastri, Duane Rosengard, Pietro Trimboli and Alessandro Urso
  • The situation of violin making in Bologna in the 18th century in Fourth Tiverton Violin Conference, East Devon College 1989, ISBN 1-85522-062-8
  • Tecniche basate sulla conoscenza per la classificazione di oggetti complessi, un'applicazione all'analisi di violini di interesse storico, graduation thesis by Alessandro Bugatti and Adriano Ragazzi on the identification of Bignami violins. Prof. Giovanni Guida: supervisor; Piero Mussio, Ing. Pietro Baroni, Dott. Renato Meucci, Roberto Regazzi: assistant supervisors and collaborator
  • Uso di pirolisi con gas cromatografia e spettrometria di massa per lo studio delle vernici usate dagli antichi liutai, graduation thesis by Emanuela Marin, Bologna University 2007. Prof. Giuseppe Chiavari: supervisor; Roberto Regazzi: assistant supervisor
  • Il Settecento Liutario Bolognese, Scuola Popolare di Musica di Testaccio, Rome, 1989, Feb. 25th (lecture)

[edit] Bibliography

  • Gruppo Liutai e Archettai Professionisti; ALI, Associazione Liutaria Italiana. Cremona 1994; pp: 76-77.
  • Arte Italiana per il Mondo; Centro Librario Italiano. Torino 1986; vol XI, pp: 7768-7769.
  • Drescher Thomas; Die Geigen und Lautenmacher vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart; Schneider, Tutzig 1990; página 502.
  • Gabriella Gallerani; Chitarra storia mito e immagini -Liuteria.Arte e passione. Intervista a un giovane liutaio nella sua bottega". Fabbri, Milano 1987. Ref pp. 58-64.
  • Silvia Montevecchi; Realizzare i sogni. Storie di donne e uomini felici, with a preface by Patrizio Roversi. Unicopli, Milano 2002. Refpp. 73-83: Roberto Regazzi's intimate bio. ISBN 88-400-0771-7.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Camera di Commercio di Bologna
  2. ^ http://www.wm.poznan.pl/iks/9_01/wituski.html

[edit] External links